NASSAU, BAHAMAS — The Ministry of Social Services and Urban Development’s three-day National Gender-Based Violence (GBV)/Discriminatory Law Review Forum will be etched in Bahamian history for a number of reasons, Minister of State in the Ministry of Social Services and Urban Development Lisa Rahming told participants attending the event’s closing ceremony on Saturday, February 19.
Primary among those reasons was the announcement by Prime Minister Philip Edward Brave Davis that recommendations coming out of the three-day forum will be “very important” to the formulation of new public policies and a plan of action.
Davis delivered the keynote address at the opening session of the forum, telling those gathered in-house and watching via Zoom and Facebook that there is a shared understanding that bringing the country’s laws up to date and in line with Bahamian values and international treaty obligations with regards to gender-based violence was crucial.
Rahming labeled the forum as “an exciting time in Bahamian history”.
“We know the way forward. The captain of the ship, the leader of this great country, our prime minister, expects us to provide recommendations emerging from this historic, monumental and pivotal three-day conclave,” she said.
“It is our hope that these will assist in the formulation of new public policies and a plan of action that will seek to address gender-based violence in a tangible way.
“We thank you, participants from all walks of life and from governmental and non-governmental organizations and civil society who dedicated their time and energy to the engaging, enriching and enlightening discussions.”
Rahming asked in-person and virtual attendees to “continue to dialogue in your public and private spaces, on your jobs, in your churches, under the trees in your neighborhoods and on the parks”.
“…I encourage all Bahamians to support and participate in the events and activities organized over the next year as we journey ‘Towards Reversing Discrimination in Law’ in The Bahamas,” she said.
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